Uninvited
by honeysyrup
Summary: Uzumaki Naruto moves into a new apartment under not-so-auspicious circumstances, only to soon find that his neighboring unit is inhabited by a tenant with very peculiar proclivities. AU, 37
1. Prologue: No Introductions Necessary

**Disclaimer: This work of fiction borrows characters from the manga series "Naruto". The author is in no way associated with the original series and does not own any of the characters or settings borrowed from it. No profits are being made from the production of this story.**

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**Author's Notes:** First of all, I should start by mentioning that I really don't do holiday fics. That said, I've really been wanting to write something like this, since I love the supernatural genre but rarely find fics of that type that suit my tastes. This isn't meant to be anything epic, or particularly meaningful, or _long_ like the rest of my fics. It's just a little foray into the supernatural with my two favorite characters. I actually considered posting it as a one-shot, but I liked the first little scene enough that I thought it deserved its own little chance to shine in the form of a prologue. With that in mind, please enjoy this meager 37 offering, just in time for Halloween!

-hachi

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**Uninvited**

_Prologue: _No Introductions Necessary.

Uzumaki Naruto shuddered, burrowing deeper into the thick nest of covers that he had wrapped himself in as he attempted to concentrate on the somewhat dense text before him.

It had been only a few hours since he had finally finished moving into his new apartment, and already things were starting off on a bad note. First he'd had issues with the water in the place's single bathroom coming out entirely too scalding when he turned the faucet to hot at either his sink or his shower, with the cold water not functioning at all save for a short burst of thick, rusty liquid every time he turned the faucet to cold. He had been rather annoyed at the idea of having to ferry cold water from his kitchen sink to the bathroom in order to cool his bath enough that he could actually get in it, but he was a resourceful individual and managed to make do all the same.

However, as if that hadn't been enough, immediately afterward Naruto had dressed and emerged into the living room to find another, much more distressing issue: It was cold. He knew that it was an old building and had been told ahead of time that it was prone to getting drafty, so although he dreaded the gas bill that he'd face as a result, he had opted to turn on the heat. With that in mind, the young blonde had started to fiddle with the radiator, which sat right under one of the two large windows that dominated the wall directly across from his couch. It was in fact the only source of heat in the entire unit, though he'd been assured that it would be more than enough to warm the entirety of the one-room apartment in which he now lived.

It was after he had finally figured out which way to turn the valve on the old heating device to get more heat to come out instead of less, that a strange, whistling, squeaking sound had come out of the thing, just before it emitted a large puff of humid air and immediately fell silent. It was after this that he had called the superintendent immediately to request help...only to find that the man had already left early that day on business and wouldn't be able to come by until morning - though Naruto himself couldn't imagine what sort of "business" the man could be doing at eight o'clock on a Friday evening.

And so it was that Uzumaki Naruto found himself huddled under a pile of bedclothes on his living room couch, struggling to keep warm as he poured over the assigned reading for his weekend classes.

However, it wasn't long before the combination of the cold and his irritation at the current circumstances got the better of him and he found himself restless and looking for a distraction. After a few moments of thought, it occurred to him that he had yet to introduce himself to his new neighbor. He was sure that he had heard the sound of the front door opening and closing next door some time ago, so it stood to reason that the place was indeed occupied and that the party in question was home now. A quick glance at his watch informed him that it was still just past eight as well, which didn't seem too late in the evening for a quick visit - especially on a Friday night.

Making up his mind that dropping in to say hello to his neighbor and introduce himself would be a nice change of surroundings and might temporarily get his mind off of the damnable cold of his apartment, Naruto finally worked his way out of his carefully constructed home on the couch and made his way to the door, all the while wondering what sort of individual his new neighbor might be. Still unable to shake the oppressive cold from his bones, the chronically unfortunate young man opted to pull on his favorite jacket before making his way out into the hallway, tugging a pair of well-worn sneakers on hastily as he made his way out the door. He didn't even bother to tie his shoes up, instead opting to merely tuck the trailing laces in between the fabric of the shoes and his heels.

As he had anticipated, the insistent chill of mid-Fall had already begun to creep into the building's wide first floor hallway with the arrival of night-time, and had most thoroughly ingratiated itself there in the scant two hours since the sun had set. The change in the atmosphere dampened Naruto's mood a little bit further as he thought about how short the days were getting lately. A bit of a sun-worshiper by nature, he was always sad to see the long hours of Summer sunlight begin to go. Each of the four seasons had their charm points, as far as he was concerned, but there was no denying the little boost that his already positive outlook got from knowing that there were plenty of hours of daylight to soak up on hot Summer days. If he could have, he would have preferred to have moved into his new place when it was still warm out, but the surrounding circumstances just hadn't made that an option.

Shaking his head a little to clear it, Naruto reminded himself to be grateful just at having the chance to move into a new place at all. He had been in desperate need of housing when he had found the opening in this apartment building, and as such had applied immediately. If it hadn't been for the fact that he had been accepted into the empty unit so quickly, he imagined that he would still be sleeping on his good friend's couch, fretting about where he was going to spend that Winter.

And really, if he was honest with himself, this _was _pretty nice digs for someplace that hadn't required too much of a deposit and no broker's fee. The apartment itself was actually good sized, and with a lot of character due to the fact that the building that housed it was so old. It was obvious that the place still needed some renovations as far as the heating and plumbing were concerned, but all in all it was well-kept by the management. He even wagered that, once he got those few things straightened out and had properly settled in, it could actually be quite cozy. Knowing that he had a whole new apartment to decorate and make his own did wonders for Naruto's motivation as well - It was just the thing he needed to get back on his feet.

With those pleasant thoughts coloring his attitude, the young blonde felt his spine lengthen and his shoulders draw back out of their slight slouch. He had a brand new place - well, new to _him_ anyway - and a whole new life ahead of him. Now was the time for him to work hard and stay positive, and that started with not getting so hung up on the little stuff and instead being thankful for what he had going for him right now.

Curling his hands into fists in his pockets as an affirmation of his resolve, the blonde drew back from his musings to stare at the heavy wooden door before him. Just a handful of paces down the hall had already found him at the front of the neighboring unit to his own.

Naruto's apartment was a corner unit - the last room on the first floor, on the far end from the front entrance to the building. As such, the rooms were a tad bit bigger, but because he was on the bottom floor and because the view from his windows was not much to get excited about, he had gotten it for a bit cheaper than was apparently the norm in this building.

That in itself was enough of a blessing in his opinion, but to top it off, because he was in the last apartment on the floor he only had one neighbor, which meant half as much noise carrying over through the somewhat thin seeming walls. As such, despite all the problems with the faucets and the heater, Naruto still felt like he had gotten a pretty good deal. Now all he needed was to put his best foot forward when meeting his new neighbors and hope that they'd be understanding of the fact that he had school on the weekends and needed quiet so he could study.

This was it - Naruto braced himself, surprised at how apprehensive he was feeling over such a simple affair. He wasn't normally so nervous about meeting new people, but as moving into this place was his first step on the way to a much needed fresh start, he really hoped to make a favorable impression on everyone he met.

And so, after taking a quick deep breath, he put on his freshest smile, before raising a fist to knock solidly on the door twice.

There was an extended period of silence during which he strained to determine whether or not he could hear anybody moving inside, however there was no sound indicating that the apartment's occupant had heard his knock and was making his or her way toward the door. Tilting his head to the side a little in confusion as a small frown settled across his face, Naruto once more raised his hand, prepared to knock again - louder this time, in case his neighbor hadn't heard.

However, the moment before he could set his knuckles to the hard wood surface a second time, there was a familiar, soft creaking noise as the door cracked open, slowly swinging inward until he was left standing face to face with his new neighbor.

Naruto looked up a little bit to find himself staring into the face of another male, only to gape blankly for a moment as the man on the other side of the threshold regarded him in flat silence.

The first thing Naruto noticed about his new neighbor was his eyes. Tired looking as they were, they were startlingly sharp and clear. But it wasn't their shape that caught Naruto's attention - It was their _color_. He had never seen anybody with eyes of such a particularly deep shade before. Far darker than what one could reasonably describe as dark brown, the pair of eyes that stared down at him were actually_ black_ - a deep obsidian that, if he weren't looking right into them at that very moment, Naruto would have sworn wasn't a color naturally occurring in any human being.

Next his eyes drifted to the man's hair - thick, inky black strands that framed a somewhat angular face - an alarming contrast to the unearthly pallid skin that seemed to glow softly in the moonlight. Somewhat on the long side, it cascaded down the sides of his face in a slightly unkempt looking onyx fringe that ended just past his chin. He was somewhat on the tall side, considering that he dwarfed the blonde male just a little bit - and Naruto wasn't a particularly small individual by any means. However his frame, though not exactly_ thin_ per se, had a somewhat used up look to it. This, combined with his weary gaze and somewhat tousled hair gave the impression of someone badly in need of a nap, a sandwich, or a haircut - Perhaps all three.

For his part, the man in question merely stared back into the blonde's face, expression neither expectant nor particularly interested as he quite literally loomed in the doorway, looking down into Naruto's eyes without a word. Finally remembering himself, the slightly shorter male recovered quickly, his usual easy grin taking the place of the confused frown that had soured his features a moment before, as he raised his hand up into a greeting gesture before launching right into his self-introduction.

"Uh...Hey! I'm Uzumaki Naruto," he began, unable to avoid the slight falter in his voice at the man's continued silence and ineffectual stare, "Just thought I'd come over and introduce myself. I'm gonna be your new neigh-"

There was a resounding thud as the door abruptly slammed in his face.

"-bor?"

Wide blue eyes blinked once, then twice, the blonde male finishing his sentence lamely as he was reacquainted with the fine, dark grain of the neighboring apartment's heavy wooden door. Too shocked to be angry, he merely stood there for a moment, before his hand fell helplessly to his side.

"Good to meet you too," he murmured to himself.


	2. Chapter 2: Infallible

**Disclaimer: This work of fiction borrows characters from the manga series "Naruto". The author is in no way associated with the original series and does not own any of the characters or settings borrowed from it. No profits are being made from the production of this story.**

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Chapter 1: Infallible

"...and then he slammed the door in my face! Just like that!"

"Well that wasn't very nice,"came the somewhat incredulous response, as the speaker raised tanned fingertips to an equally tanned chin, stroking it thoughtfully, "He sounds like he might have an attitude - Maybe you should try and keep your distance from now on."

Naruto considered the sage advice as the man sitting across from him looked on with raised eyebrows, apparently just as baffled as his blonde counterpart. However, in the next moment he shook his head slightly.

"That's the thing, Iruka - I don't really know if that's the case. He didn't seem mean or pissed or anything, just kind of...tired, I think," Naruto mused half to himself and half to his slightly older counterpart, still thoroughly confused by the cold reception that he had received from his neighbor just a few days prior.

In response the man called Iruka frowned a little bit, a look of genuine concern crossing his face as he opened his mouth to offer his sincere opinion on the matter.

"Naruto," he began in a slightly warning tone, as he brought chestnut colored arms up to cross his chest dubiously, "I know you want to make friends with the entire world...but there are some people you should just stay away from."

After a look at the younger male's face, however, Iruka's expression softened somewhat into one of understanding. Naruto was currently looking back at him from underneath his lashes, tin tucked slightly in an expression that the elder male was all too familiar with. The blonde boy had been using that face to get what he wanted out of Iruka since he was a child, and only seemed to have perfected it over the years. Even knowing that the other male was just being melodramatic, as usual he still couldn't help but cave slightly when his friend made _that_ face. All he could see in those instances was a seven year old Naruto, pouting up at him over an empty donguri bowl.

"Look, I'm not telling you to be run away every time you see your neighbor or anything," he amended, carefully gauging the blonde's expression as he spoke, "I'm just advising you not to get your hopes up. As much as you may want to, you just can't save everyone you meet just because they seem like they have a few problems, Naruto. Just think of what it was that got you into this situation in the first place."

At these words, the younger male looked up sharply, wide eyed, before averting his gaze again, and Iruka knew that his pointed appeal had had some effect - though he wasn't entirely sure if it was the effect that he had intended. Naruto was a difficult person to pin down. Sometimes it was just when you thought that you had managed to talk some sense into him that he turned right around and went off all half-cocked and did exactly what it was that you had told him not to do. Somewhere in his mind, he had always thought that, for better or worse, the blonde had never lost that childish instinct that told him that he was invincible. In a lot of ways it was frustrating to watch, but Iruka was grudgingly aware of the fact that that infallible confidence and hopefulness was one of the very things that had drawn him to the blonde in the first place. And now, sixteen years later, here he was still trying to appeal to the sense of reason that he was slightly convinced the other male didn't even have to begin with. Case in point: What kind of sensical person would even _consider_ trying to befriend someone who had, less than three days ago, slammed a door in their face without so much as a word?

Naruto - That's who.

For his part, the young man in question seemed to have acquiesced slightly, but he still sat back in his side of the booth with his arms crossed, face sporting a somewhat dejected expression that bordered on a childish sort of pout - another one of Naruto's trademarks. The man just didn't like to be told 'no' in any capacity, regardless of how much he needed to hear it.

"Yeah, maybe," the young blonde mumbled, bright blue eyes averting themselves to gaze thoughtfully out the window to his left.

_There._ That response was exactly what told Iruka that the other man would most certainly be trying his luck with his neighbor again inside of a week, heedless of his friend's sage advice. He wouldn't be surprised if the blonde boy didn't go marching straight over there right after this and attempt to strike up a conversation with the stranger, out of pure stubbornness if nothing else.

The elder male just sighed, shaking his head from side to side in resignation, as he was once again reminded that his role in the blonde's life wasn't so much to be a dispenser of knowledge, though that was a part of it, but to attempt to help pick up the pieces whenever his friend failed at whatever his current fixation happened to be. Such was life.

"Anyway, thanks for bringing my stuff, 'Ruka. Sorry you came all the way down here though - next time we'll hang out someplace closer to your neighborhood," came Naruto's genuine apology, that brilliant smile flashing at him briefly.

"No, no, don't worry about it," he insisted, waving one of his hands in a gently dismissive manner, "I'm just glad to hear that you're getting well settled into your new apartment so far. It being so close to your job is somewhat of a godsend, I would say."

"Heh, can't argue with you about that," chuckled the blonde, casually picking up the small receipt that laid on the table in front of his good friend, "Well, I'd better not keep you out any longer - you've got work early tomorrow morning, right? I'll take care of the tab."

Iruka frowned, and was about to insist that Naruto allow him to treat just this once, but stopped himself. It was obvious that this was the other male's way of saying 'thank you' to him for coming all the way over to the blonde's neighborhood just to drop off the few personal items that Naruto had left at his home. For the past few weeks his young friend had made a point of treating Iruka whenever they went out together, ever since he had allowed the blonde to stay at his home while he searched for a new place to stay.

Honestly, he didn't care one way or another whether Naruto repaid him or not, having stipulated quite adamantly that he would not accept any rent money from his young friend while he crashed on his couch. Iruka was very aware of the chain of events that had brought the other male to such circumstances, and quite frankly it had been his only concern that the blonde find adequate housing as soon as possible. He had been even happier than Naruto to hear the news that he'd been accepted into such a decent apartment so quickly.

And so it was that as he stood and followed the other male toward the register the elder male felt a soft smile tugging at his lips. Naruto deserved to live in a nice place. The happy-go-lucky young man in question had endured enough hardships for two lifetimes - so much so that it would be difficult for someone who didn't know him as well as Iruka did to comprehend how he maintained his boyish optimism. But it was time now for him to finally find whatever it was that he was searching for and be happy. In all honestly, that was the very least that he deserved in Iruka's opinion.

Once Naruto had finished settling up their bill at the cafe's register, he turned to grace his friend with a satisfied smile, endearing in its cheesiness. The two of them exchanged goodbyes at the door, and Iruka watched the blonde disappear off down the sidewalk in the direction of his apartment, large shopping bag full of his personal items in tow.

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Not for the first time that week, Naruto suppressed a shudder, as an increasingly familiar sensation worked is way over him. It began at the middle of his back - a strange sensation much like a touch that lingered just over his flesh - close, but never quite making contact. From there it made its way across his body from behind, from his shoulders to the nape of his neck, down his spine, and all the way as far down as the small of his back, causing tiny licks of electricity to ripple across his flesh in its wake. The blonde flushed softly as the feeling made its way back up to linger about the back of his throat again, intimate and deliberate, almost like a caress. Made strangely uncomfortable by what he was feeling, the Naruto paused in the middle of the sidewalk to took this way and that, but as usual there was nobody there - not even a gust of wind to explain away the strange prickling of his skin, nor the goose-flesh that ran up and down his arms.

This had happened several times since the beginning of the past weekend, each time startling him with its sudden oncoming. The alien sensation was equally alarming each time, but what was most disturbing and _irritating_ about it was that as of yet he still couldn't explain it. All he knew was that there was something very strange going on with him lately, and he was beginning to wonder if he hadn't picked up something from one of his classmates or coworkers that was causing him to feel this way. He didn't feel particularly sick exactly, but the sudden flush that covered his body was a sure sign that he had a fever of some sort.

Putting his head down, he pushed on toward home, knowing that he was only a short fifteen minute walk away from his apartment - and safety - now. And then abruptly, just as suddenly as it had come, the queer sensation was gone, leaving him slightly cold in the wake of the warmth that had overtaken nearly his entire upper body. Relieved to have been released from the moment of strangeness, Naruto hurried his steps even further, eager to make it back to the comfort of his own room.

Thus it was that a slight feeling of relief washed over the young blonde when at last he turned the final corner that would lead him to his home. As he started down the block on which the large, old apartment resided, he adjusted his grip on the heavy, paper shopping bag that held his things, grateful to have made it that far without further incident.

With a sigh Naruto slowed his pace to a regular walk, admiring the classic architecture of the buildings on his street. From what he had heard, this was an old neighborhood, having been in place long before the turn of the century, and though the landscape had definitely changed over the years, it still managed to maintain an air of quiet dignity that refused to be infiltrated by the much more modern neighborhoods surrounding it. The hint of a smile tinged the blonde's cheeks as he thought with slight pride about the fact that his building seemed to be one of the best examples of this.

It was just as he was strolling toward the front entrance, admiring his surroundings, that Naruto caught a glimpse of something moving ever so subtly on the peripheral of his vision. Squinting into the darkness he tried to make out just what it was that had caught his attention, only to find that slowly a vaguely human figure made itself known to him from the shadows of the small alleyway separating his building from the one next to it. Blinking a few times, the blonde realized that the only reason that he'd even been able to pick up on the individual's presence at all was the slight movement of a small red-orange glow from time to time, as well as the thin trail of smoke that wafted up from said glow periodically. Gradually he was able to make out sharp masculine features - a pale angular face framed by threads of jet, set just above a pair of wide shoulders, slightly inclined as the individual in question leaned casually against the side wall of his apartment.

Blue eyes went wide then in sudden recognition of the figure in the shadows - It was none other than the man who had so abruptly slammed his front door in the blonde's face not three days prior. Taking a slow, steadying breath as he confirmed that the man in question seemed not to have noticed him or the fact that he was staring_, _Naruto put his head down quickly, resolving to pretend as if he hadn't seen anything and head inside, leaving the man to enjoy his cigarette in peace.

Starting his steady traipse toward the front entrance of the building, the blonde was careful not to let his gaze stray toward his neighbor, and had almost been successful when he suddenly felt his eyes drawn inexorably in that direction. The very moment that he did, his gaze was met with piercing black eyes, paralyzing in their directness, though they seemed to harbor no particularly clear intent in and of themselves.

Naruto swallowed softly, his mouth going dry. He half-way expected the man to look away again as if nothing out of the ordinary had transpired, but instead the stranger's half-lidded eyes drifted momentarily to the stricken young man's mouth. It was then that the blonde was made aware of the fact that the tip of his tongue had slipped out to nervously wet his lips. The gaze only lasted a second, however, before the man finally did avert his gaze, staring at the tip of his cigarette as he flicked a few ashes to the ground at his feet. Naruto told himself to act like nothing had happened and move on - because really, nothing _had_ happened.

But instead he found himself betraying his own best instincts again as he spoke.

"...H-...Hey," he said, as the corner of his mouth tipped up ever so softly into a slightly uneasy sort of grin, mentally cursing himself all the while for not taking the obvious out when it had presented itself. It was far too late for regrets however, as the tall young man's gaze snapped back to him again, those same coal-dark orbs pinning him to the spot such that he wasn't even sure he could have looked away if he had wanted to. It was obvious that he had the man's attention now, though he still hadn't said a word, instead opting to lift his cigarette slowly to his lips, between slender, pale fingertips for another slow draw.

Naruto suppressed a gasp, as he suddenly felt very aware of his own heartbeat. A strange feeling much like what he had experienced just now on his way home began to invade his senses again, and another hot flush threatened his cheeks, slightly stronger this time. His pulse thudded in his ears and vibrated loudly in his chest, such that it threatened to drown out all else if it got any louder.

"Uh, I just...wanted to apologize...for...you know...if I had disturbed you the other night," the blonde managed to force the only words that came to mind out past his lips, still unable to look away from the other male.

As he had observed the other day, the man's gaze was very clear, even from beneath heavily lowered eyelids. And if that weren't enough, Naruto was now noticing that his neighbor was actually very, well_...good looking_. Unlike the decidedly unkempt look that he had sported a few nights prior, he was now the picture of composed grace. To begin with, his face looked slightly fuller than before, though it was still quite angular - smooth, pale skin drawn across a decidedly delicate bone structure. The pitch black hair that framed his face, falling slightly into his eyes at the front, was swept back a bit, into soft spikes of jet that fell against the back of his neck, glossy and thick - almost bluish in their shine. But most of all, the weary look that had cast a slight pall on his features was now nowhere in sight, giving him an overall healthier look that made Naruto realize how young he was - he couldn't have been much older than the blonde himself, if at all. In general he had rather elegant features - beautiful, but a far cry from the feminine charm that Naruto would have usually associated with the word - The strong set of his jaw made sure of that. It was almost as if he needed a new word to describe the other young man's particular type of beauty. Even as someone of the same sex Naruto found himself conceding to that fact.

Realizing that he was staring again, the blonde immediately tore his gaze away, to stare at his feet in discomfort.

"Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that," he finished lamely, shifting his bag nervously from one hand to the other as he was made all the more frustrated and confused by the sudden onset of his own very uncharacteristic shyness, "I won't bother you again."

It was with those simple words that Naruto turned on his heel, eager to escape the other man's powerful gaze and retreat back to the safety of his own room. However, he hadn't made it two steps before he was stopped cold in his tracks again.

"Uchiha."

Naruto startled, blinking a few times as he tried to register what he had just heard. Hesitantly, he turned his head to glance back over his right shoulder, only to find that his neighbor hadn't moved a centimeter, taking another thoughtful drag of his cigarette. The blonde would have doubted his own ears if it weren't for the way that the man's gaze continued to pin him, darting back to his lips again briefly, only stare coolly back into his eyes.

"Uchiha Sasuke - My name," the man's voice washed over his ears again, low and rich. Naruto wasn't really sure what he had expected him to sound like, having half come to doubt that the man could speak at all in the first place, but if he had ventured to guess at what kind of voice would go with his face, this would perhaps have been it. His tone carried a hint of youth that suggested, as the blonde had suspected, that they were of a similar age. But unlike Naruto's, the other man's voice had a somewhat husky quality that made it a little bit difficult to make out, soft as it was.

Still somewhat dumbfounded, it took the blonde a moment to find his voice again, having almost forgotten that he had one.

"Oh...I'm Naruto - Uzumaki Naruto," he said at last, unable to stop the hesitant smile that began to overtake his features.

By contrast, the man at his back hadn't changed his stance an inch, and had in fact diverted his gaze back to the darkness of the alleyway. Yet somehow the atmosphere seemed to have changed a little bit, having lost some of the uncomfortable tension that had been present before. Naruto was still in a state of heightened awareness, his blood rushing in his ears - but in a good way now. His smile grew into an all-out grin as realization of what had just transpired overtook him, until he was beaming at his new neighbor with a sunny smile.

"Good to meet you, Uchiha-san," he chirped at last, wiggling his fingers at the man over his shoulder, before turning to strut triumphantly up the front steps of their apartment building.

"Hn," came the noncommittal reply.

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Author's Notes:

Ahh, this is kind of refreshing to write. Not thinking particularly deeply about the plot or anything, just enjoying writing the characters and making up my story as I go along. I usually put so much thought into my stories...this is a nice change of pace! For that reason chapters seem to be shorter and a little bit easier to put out. (Hmm...I wonder why!) In this story I'm toying around with the characterizations a little bit for my own amusement. I hope no one is offended by the fact that they are somewhat out of character...but I have no intention of doing anything about it!

-hachico


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